2001 4x4 going into 4wd on its own

[boardorgohome]

Well the title pretty much explains it. But to elaborate my gf has a 2001 Explorer sport with the 4.0. Last late winter into spring we were having issues with the 4wd.

First time the problem occurred was hell, i was driving down the highway at 60-65, i heard the 4wd click on the pass side and the truck lurched and started making a grinding noise beneath me like the 4wd was kicking in. The switch was in auto but the dash light showed 4wd low. Once i slowed down and stopped it locked into 4wd low and i was able to position the switch there and go back to 4wd high, then back to auto with it back into 2wd. Couple weeks later it did it again, this time doing around 30-35. And finally with her commuting on the highway every day to work i just unplugged the shifter motor all together.

Once i unplugged the shifter motor once or twice the 4wd low light popped on and the speedo read wrong (about 40 when i was going over 60) but since i had the shifter motor unplugged it just drove normal.

Now its winter again and i want to get it working again before the snow gets real bad. I've read around and saw some issues with unbalanced tires and such being the problem, and the truck did have a little shake at higher speeds, but 2 weeks or so ago we had all 4 tires replaced and now the shake is gone. Problem is i want to be certain that was the problem before hooking up the shifter motor again....

Any Suggestions? Thanks

 

[Project_Sparta]

At last someone else with a possesed 4wd. Sorry I cant help you, having the same a similar problem myself. I think I just have a loose wire on the motor

 

[briwayjones]

I can't tell you what's wrong with it but I can tell you it's not the tires. Different size tires could possibly make the Auto4wd kick into high but tires wouldn't make it go into Low Range.

Sounds like you might have a short somewhere?

 

[boardorgohome]

well right now i have the shift motor unplugged...so what is this brown wire mod? I have a feeling if i either do that or put a switch in line with the 12v wire to the shifter motor it would work the same and she would be able to just flip the switch when she wanted to use 4wd. What do you guys think.

 

[boardorgohome]

reading up on the brown wire mod i dont think it would work. It would still allow the truck to kick into 4wd low, just causing the rear wheels to go into the low setting, i think. With the shift motor unplugged completely it hasnt kicked in at all. I'm confused on this.

 

[briwayjones]

The BWM would allow it to go into low since the shift motor is getting power. When ever you had the BWM set to 4wd it could possibly go into low. The motor is what shifts it into low, it doesn't put it in 4wd high. So since you have it unplugged it can't shift it into low.

 

[boardorgohome]

So then my next question would be how would i find the 12v lead or whatever powers that so i could put a switch in line. I dont want to have to unplug and plug it in all the time. I just want something temporary until we get the cash to fix it, especially since the snow has been threatening us.

 

[briwayjones]

I guess one way would be to take a multi-meter and test the pins in the plug that plugs into the shift motor and see which wire it is.

 

[John_Rock]

Wow, that's a really bad problem.

My guess would be to replace the 4x4 GEM module. I believe is supposed to be the control for operating the switch motor. And your gf's is in the looney bin for thinking it should go to 4wd Low. I believe the GEM is supposed to insure that 4 conditions are met before it attempts to shift the transfer case into 4wd Low.

1. 4x4 know has been turned to 4wd Low
2. Transmission is in Neutral.
3. Foot is on brake.
4. Truck is stopped. I'm assuming this is one of the criteria to be met. I've never tried to do it with the truck moving.

And yours is shifting in to 4wd Low with NONE of those conditions being met.

Sometimes I wish they had just given us the manual transfer cases like they do in some Rangers. Over the years my 4wd has acted abnormal. But, its always been really intermittent enough for me not to do something about it.

 

[muddinexploder]

Last winter I had this happen to me in my 01 sport except i was towing a loaded trailer. Going along at about 50 mph 4low kicked in and instantly blew both cv shafts into pieces. No matter what I tried couldnt get it out of 4low and the switch was in 2wd. Solved the problem easiest way I knew how. Manual Tcase swap. Cost me a total of 75 bucks.

 

[boardorgohome]

Wow, that's a really bad problem.

My guess would be to replace the 4x4 GEM module. I believe is supposed to be the control for operating the switch motor. And your gf's is in the looney bin for thinking it should go to 4wd Low. I believe the GEM is supposed to insure that 4 conditions are met before it attempts to shift the transfer case into 4wd Low.

1. 4x4 know has been turned to 4wd Low
2. Transmission is in Neutral.
3. Foot is on brake.
4. Truck is stopped. I'm assuming this is one of the criteria to be met. I've never tried to do it with the truck moving.

And yours is shifting in to 4wd Low with NONE of those conditions being met.

Sometimes I wish they had just given us the manual transfer cases like they do in some Rangers. Over the years my 4wd has acted abnormal. But, its always been really intermittent enough for me not to do something about it.

Its going into 4wd low by itself, i know this for a fact. The light is on, the top speed is ****, and the tires skip when making sharp turns. I just know that when i unplugged the shifter motor it stopped. I guess i'll figure it out myself since i'm on my own with this one.

 

[John_Rock]

Its going into 4wd low by itself, i know this for a fact. The light is on, the top speed is ****, and the tires skip when making sharp turns. I just know that when i unplugged the shifter motor it stopped. I guess i'll figure it out myself since i'm on my own with this one.

You are misinterpreting my post. I am in no way doubting what is happening with your gf's Explorer. Like I stated, I have experienced intermittent 4x4 problems myself. I do believe on one of those occasions when I was testing the shift on the fly to 4x4 High that it did shift into 4x4 Low briefly. So I am not surprised at the problems that your gf is experiencing.

And I am suggesting that you try replacing the 4x4 GEM module since it is the brains of the 4x4 shifting.

 

[al760]

2002 explored going into 4 wheel low

my ford has been at the dealership since last week and they can't seem to figure it out. 2002 explorer also going into 4 wheel low all on its own. everyone i talked to seems to think it's the 4x4 module except them.

 

[briwayjones]

Tell them to just replace the 4wd module since you're paying for it if that's probably what it is which it sounds like. Since it's computer controlled there's not other reason it could be doing that other than a short or something.

 

[boardorgohome]

i'm thinking about replacing the module, im just afraid to look into the cost of one...

 

[baritoneblaster]

I have two one new and one used both are good. I had a different problem but neither one fixed it. Turned out to be a short way up behind the dash. If you are eneterested let me know and we can work something out.

 

[boardorgohome]

Let me know what you want for the new or used one. And was yours shorting out causing the same problem as mine?

 

[baritoneblaster]

No my 4wd wouldn't engage at all. My mechanic friend said probably the module so two later no good. I will PM you details.

 

[John_Rock]

For used parts I also highly recommend you contact our site vendor Kbabiak. I've bought several things from him before. He has excellent prices. He's also in PA.

Here's a thread to make requests to him...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213257

 

[boardorgohome]

Well i actually got to looking at the truck and realized its not 4auto... It has the 2wd 4high and 4low...so i'm almost certain it is either a short or the module.